It is generally known to provide hand-held plastic containers for storing and dispensing particulate matter, particularly foodstuffs or seasonings such as those displayed and sold in supermarkets. Such known containers typically have several openings, particularly a plurality of shaker openings on one side of the container and a single spooning opening on an opposite side of the closure. The known closures generally include a hinged flap for the shaker and for the spooning openings configured to close or seal these openings when the container is not in use.
Such known closures typically include a latching device on the flaps or on the closure body for maintaining the flaps in a closed position when dispensing of the container contents is not required. Such latching devices may include projections or downwardly extending skirts extending from an underside of the flap and configured to engage the opening in an interference-type fit to retain the flap in a closed position. While, such known latching devices may be generally sufficient to maintain the flaps closed under static conditions, these latching devices frequently provide insufficient retention force to maintain the flaps in a closed position during dynamic installation conditions. During installation of the closure on the container by automated equipment, the closure may typically be pressed-on over a circumferential rib, or the closure may be spun-on and tightened to the container via a threaded interface. The torque typically applied to the closure often results in sufficient distortion of the closure body to cause the flap latches to release, allowing the flaps to open on the assembly line. Such release of the flaps during the automated closure process results in the additional time and expense required to manually re-close the closure flaps prior to shipment of the containers.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a container closure having a more robust design that is more capable of maintaining the flaps in a closed position during automated assembly processes. It would also be advantageous to provide a container closure flap latching device that did not require substantial additional force by a user to open the flaps. It would be further advantageous to provide closure flaps that are biased toward a closed position. It would be further advantageous to provide a container closure flap latching device that does not add substantial complexity or additional forming operations to the closure molding and manufacturing process.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a closure of the type disclosed in the present application that includes any one or more of these or other advantageous features.